tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45783818936230482192017-10-22T18:03:56.172+02:00(un)Playable_G4mes<b>(un)Playable_G4mes</b>
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where game ideas come to die...
</i>Alessandro Piroddinoreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4578381893623048219.post-39263383354630578122017-08-03T16:01:00.001+02:002017-08-29T22:48:17.619+02:00OSR design is still living in the past ... why not look to the future?
Old School
> > > Edit + Intro + Apology
Following the publication of this article I had many interesting discussions which got me to a clearer and more complete understanding of the subject matter. Because of this I chose to edit one problematic element and, with this small intro text, acknowledge a core mistake I've originally made.
The previous title "OSR design is stuck in the Alessandro Piroddihttps://plus.google.com/116734471115359752076noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4578381893623048219.post-21109593917545002502017-07-17T17:54:00.000+02:002017-07-17T23:24:13.188+02:00FUBAR Dungeon - a successful disaster
Intro
This is going to be a long article offering a bit of design theory, and actual play, and a post-mortem analysis of it.
FUBAR Dungeon is a new gmLess project focusing on what I see as old school dungeon crawl adventuring. My personal vision comes from different sources of which the most important, and the most useful for this article, are:
my own experiences as GM and Player Alessandro Piroddihttps://plus.google.com/116734471115359752076noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4578381893623048219.post-29879737545819783172016-10-05T21:40:00.001+02:002017-02-16T20:22:00.658+01:00Touched by Evil
Touched by Evil is a gmLess game of horror and atmosphere for 2-5 players.
A full game takes place in the span of one or two sessions and plays out like a genuine horror story in the style of H. P. Lovecraft, starting slow and inexorably building up unease and dread to a final horrific resolution.
The rules allow the players to experience such disquieting trip through the dark with no Alessandro Piroddihttps://plus.google.com/116734471115359752076noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4578381893623048219.post-70350650109462275092016-04-18T17:03:00.001+02:002017-02-16T20:20:01.337+01:00Why Less is More #03 - Setting
This 3rd article in the Why Less is More series will unpack the SetUp Phase world building section, as it also represent an important staple of FateLess underlying philosophy.
To Build a World
FateLess approach to world building could be defined as sedimental.You have nothing, and then you lay down just one small thing, and then the need arises to lay down another small Alessandro Piroddihttps://plus.google.com/116734471115359752076noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4578381893623048219.post-21350932503348080402016-01-29T09:53:00.002+01:002017-02-16T20:20:17.529+01:00Why Less is More #02 - Talking
In this second article in the Why Less is More series I’ll talk about the Ritual Communication rules. These are easily the most important rules in the whole FateLess system.
Let me show you why...
Who Can Say What
Fundamentally a roleplaying game is: a bunch of people sitting around a table describing stuff to one another. It’s literally a conversation. Rules then add fun and Alessandro Piroddihttps://plus.google.com/116734471115359752076noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4578381893623048219.post-55312324543999143782015-12-16T13:47:00.000+01:002017-02-16T20:20:30.670+01:00Why Less is More #01 - Being
In autumn 2015 I published a game: FateLess
In this series of articles I would like to explore its design step by step. Today, as a sort of introduction, I’ll talk about what this game is, what it is not, and why I made it. After that, in future posts, I’ll tackle each section of the rules and discuss its value and impact for the overall system and Player experience. Let’s get started!
Alessandro Piroddihttps://plus.google.com/116734471115359752076noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4578381893623048219.post-1920103800851440982015-11-15T19:58:00.000+01:002017-02-16T20:19:39.700+01:00Designing Horror in RPGs #01
I’m gonna talk about horror in rpgs. People often say "horror" with very different meanings in mind. In this article I'm specifically talking about horror as in something capable of inducing fear. Games like My Life With Master, Carry, Gang Rape or some very intense moments in Apocalypse World and Monsterhears might qualify as "horror" in a general sense, because they horrify the Player. Alessandro Piroddihttps://plus.google.com/116734471115359752076noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4578381893623048219.post-69460491100774840922015-07-28T19:24:00.001+02:002017-02-16T20:21:14.124+01:00BloodLess
BloodLess is a FREE fan-made supplement for the FateLess rules system allowing players to delve in the amazing setting created by mother WhiteWolf, today known as uncle OnyxPath: Vampire the Masquerade.
It is a completely unauthorized use of their ideas and trademarks, but I made it out of love for a setting I played for years, so I hope they won't mind ;-)
To access and download the freeAlessandro Piroddihttps://plus.google.com/116734471115359752076noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4578381893623048219.post-58461240661981836212015-05-08T14:05:00.001+02:002017-02-16T20:22:49.831+01:00King of the City
You are the grey eminence spreading rumors.
You are the spider pulling the strings.
You are the monarch ordering and governing.
The hero swooning public opinion.
The criminal marking territory.
The police patrolling the streets.
You are a very influential person, a power player, and your target is the final control over the only kingdom that actually matters... the City.
But you are notAlessandro Piroddihttps://plus.google.com/116734471115359752076noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4578381893623048219.post-84828886014326856142015-04-29T17:18:00.000+02:002017-02-16T20:18:46.402+01:00Dreamwake Places #03
New Setting-in-a-Box card!
Another location in the Sea of Mist, this is a weird and mysterious place lost somewhere in the Open Sea.
As usual my Patreons have exclusive access to the high-res versions of this illustration, while everyone else can find the card-sized image and full game text here, in the Dreamwake World Deck section.
Enjoy ^_^Alessandro Piroddihttps://plus.google.com/116734471115359752076noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4578381893623048219.post-24237232687674337602015-03-23T15:40:00.000+01:002017-02-16T21:42:21.287+01:00Dreamwake Places #02
New Setting-in-a-Box card!
Another location in the Sea of Mist, this is the massive city-bastion of Babele.
As usual my Patreons have exclusive access to the high-res versions of this illustration, while everyone else can find the card-sized image and full game text here, in the Dreamwake World Deck section.
Enjoy ^_^Alessandro Piroddihttps://plus.google.com/116734471115359752076noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4578381893623048219.post-23349999975438388502015-02-12T00:29:00.000+01:002017-02-16T21:45:48.432+01:00Dreamwake Places #01
New Setting-in-a-Box card!
It was high time that the PLACES cards of the Dreamwake World Deck got proper original illustrations so, thanks to Frostwindz talent, we start from the most played of all the places: the Sea of Mist. As usual my Patreons have exclusive access to the high-res versions of this illustration, while everyone else can find the card-sized image and full game textAlessandro Piroddihttps://plus.google.com/116734471115359752076noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4578381893623048219.post-85753829344123264332015-01-16T13:28:00.000+01:002017-02-16T23:00:24.359+01:00Indie Games are Missing the Target
In my opinion coherent roleplaying games are changing the global rpg culture.
This is something anyone can see by looking at the latest editions of the most famous mainstream rpg brands. Games like Dungeons & Dragons 4 and 5, Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 3, Star Wars Edge of the Empire and many others are oh so slowly evolving their design; it’s maybe too little too late, or just an Alessandro Piroddihttps://plus.google.com/116734471115359752076noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4578381893623048219.post-42135549952007132682015-01-02T17:40:00.000+01:002015-03-23T15:44:00.096+01:00Dreamwake People #03 - Lamplighters
Lamplighters
Happy 2015! :D
To celebrate the new year properly I'm unveiling a new Setting-in-a-Box card by a new artist, Frostwindz. As usual my Patreons have exclusive access to the high-res versions of this illustration, while everyone else can find the card-sized image and full game text here, in the Dreamwake World Deck section.
Enjoy ^_^Alessandro Piroddihttps://plus.google.com/116734471115359752076noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4578381893623048219.post-42970149897655144932014-12-05T15:27:00.000+01:002015-12-16T14:22:10.851+01:00The illusory Game MasterI love me some GM-Less games.
But usually they feel much more like GM-Full than GM-Less.
What do I mean with this nonsense?
Just that in most games I've played, when they somehow do away with the GM, you tend to play a lot in Director Stance rather than Actor Stance. So you feel more like a part-time GM instead of a normal Player.
Which is by no means bad! I like it a lot, for example one of Alessandro Piroddihttps://plus.google.com/116734471115359752076noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4578381893623048219.post-30985565459800988152014-12-05T14:25:00.001+01:002016-09-26T18:33:35.037+02:00FateLess
For we have no Master, and we make our own Fate!
This GM-Less game focuses on the adventurous stories of individual characters, their personal goals and their development as human beings.
Players might be allies or enemies, lovers or strangers, but somehow their destinies will end up twining and influencing each other.
All of this on the backdrop of a rich and detailed game settings that Alessandro Piroddihttps://plus.google.com/116734471115359752076noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4578381893623048219.post-54737453273369423652014-10-11T20:07:00.000+02:002014-10-11T20:08:28.688+02:00Dreamwake People #02 - The Marys
This is the final version of The Marys, by Iolanda Zanfardino.
My Patreons have exclusive access to the same image at high resolution, both in .jpg and .bmp format (and others if they need).
Both the low-res image and full game text describing it are freely available in the Dreamwake World Deck gallery on this blog.Alessandro Piroddihttps://plus.google.com/116734471115359752076noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4578381893623048219.post-37558240079926495922014-10-10T16:42:00.004+02:002014-10-11T19:43:05.070+02:00Dreamwake People #01 - Luscious
This is the final version of Luscious, by Iolanda Zanfardino.
My Patreons have exclusive access to the same image at high resolution, both in .jpg and .bmp format (and others if they need).
Both the low-res image and full game text describing it are freely available in the Dreamwake World Deck gallery on this blog.Alessandro Piroddihttps://plus.google.com/116734471115359752076noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4578381893623048219.post-51949087803531892942014-10-07T15:04:00.001+02:002017-01-29T22:12:44.797+01:00DreamLess
DreamLess is a supplement for the FateLess rules system allowing players to explore a weird post-apocalyptic world where reality itself has crumbled, degenerating into child's nightmare.
Humanity survives in fortified cities constantly irradiated by a pale white light that keeps the madness at bay, while rival factions of super-trained agents grudgingly cooperate in the name of common Alessandro Piroddihttps://plus.google.com/116734471115359752076noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4578381893623048219.post-2337324391733962162014-10-07T14:20:00.001+02:002015-12-16T14:22:31.015+01:00Setting in a Box
A Setting in a Box (SiaB) is a package of informations meant to allow players of FateLess to explore a rich and deep setting without the need to know it beforehand.
Each box provides three tools:
- a Setting Seed
- a list of Crunchy Bits
- a minimal World Deck
A Setting Seed is a very brief text, usually a page or less, that explains the core concepts of a setting. It should be read aloud Alessandro Piroddihttps://plus.google.com/116734471115359752076noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4578381893623048219.post-81888910653288601312014-10-04T23:46:00.002+02:002016-09-26T18:01:43.115+02:00Tactical Ops
Kenon - by Tazio Bettin
Tactical Ops offers high octane action adventures in any setting you desire. Players will form a cohesive team of skilled individuals facing challenging missions. From mysterious investigations to heated shoot-outs, from dangerous deceptions to hectic chases, this game focuses on the "tactical" use of fiction, description and ideas rather than number crunching and Alessandro Piroddihttps://plus.google.com/116734471115359752076noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4578381893623048219.post-14424342186481693722014-10-04T18:11:00.001+02:002016-09-26T18:23:51.062+02:00IT : BRB
Infotech Team : Beyond Rage & Betrayal is a silly game about senseless technical emergencies, ruthless office warfare and shameless watercooler flirtations.
You will play one day in the troubling life of a bored wage-salve employed in the technical department of some nameless corporation... and turn it upside down with "help" from your colleagues.
Born oh so many years ago thanks to an Alessandro Piroddihttps://plus.google.com/116734471115359752076noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4578381893623048219.post-27728735705431022642014-10-04T17:52:00.001+02:002016-09-26T18:17:20.028+02:00The Name of God
The Name of God is a little cynical trip into a bizarre hole, filled with homeless people, weird omens, dangerous situations, and ritual chanting. No, seriously, you will have to intone the words, or you will never find your true self again!
The Name of God is a nanogame. All its rules fit into less than four playing cards, with the rest of the deck offering thought provoking character Alessandro Piroddihttps://plus.google.com/116734471115359752076noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4578381893623048219.post-67586979789542737072014-10-01T20:31:00.000+02:002014-10-11T20:32:30.865+02:00New Blog, New Life
This thing before your eyes is my new website.
The old unplayablegames.tk is going to stay online for a bit, but as life keeps sucking time away from my hobbies and interests I can't afford any more to dabble with (hardly amateurish) frontend development and AngularJS experimentation... I need a site that is easy to setup and then will "just work".
This blog costed me more than a few hours of Alessandro Piroddihttps://plus.google.com/116734471115359752076noreply@blogger.com